manishkumarphysics.

in
2
CHAPTER
PROBABILITY
Important Facts And Formulae :
Experiment : An operation in which can produce
some well-defined outcomes is called an experiment.
Random Experiment : An Experiment in which
all possible outcomes are known and the exact output
cannot be predicated in advance, is called a random
experiment.
Examples of Performing a Random
Experiment :
(i) Rolling an unbiased dice.
(ii) Tossing a fair coin.
(iii) Drawing a card from a pack of well-shuffled cards.
(iv) Picking up a ball of certain colour from a bag
containing balls of different colours.
Details :
(i) When we throw a coin. Then either a Head (H) or
a Tail (T) appears.
(ii) A dice is a solid cube, having 6 faces, marked 1,2,
3, 4, 5, 6 respectively. When we throw a die, the
outcome is the number that appears on its upper
face.
(iii) A pack of cards has 52 cards.
It has 13 cards of each suit, namely Spades,
Clubs, Hearts and Diamonds.
Cards of spades and clubs are black cards.
Cards of hearts and diamonds are red cards.
There are 4 honours of each suit.
These are Aces, Kings, Queens and Jacks.
These are called face cards.
Sample Space : When we perform an experiment,
then the set S of all possible outcomes is called the
Sample Space.
Examples of Sample Spaces :
(i) In tossing a coin, S = {H, T}.
(ii) If two coins are tossed, then S = {HH, HT, TH, TT}.
(iii) In rolling a dice, we have, S = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}.
Event : Any subset of a sample space is called an
event.
Probability of Occurrence of an Event :
Let S be the sample space and let E be an event.
Then, E _ S.
P(E) =
) S ( n
) E ( n
.
EXAMPLES
Ex.1 In a throw of a coin, find the probability of getting a
head.
Sol. Here S = {H, T} and E = {H}.

P(E) =
) S ( n
) E ( n
=
2
1
.
Ex.2 Two unbiased coins are tossed. What is the
probability of getting at most one head ?
Sol. Here S = {HH, HT, TH, TT}
Let E = event of getting at most one head.
E = {TT, HT, TH}.
P(E) =
) S ( n
) E ( n
=
4
3
.
Ex.3 An unbiased die is tossed. Find the probability
of getting a multiple of 3.
Sol. Here S = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}.
Let E be the event of getting a multiple of 3.
Then E = {3, 6}
P(E) =
) S ( n
) E ( n
=
6
2
=
3
1
.
manishkumarphysics.in
Ex.4 In a simultaneous throw of a pair of dice, find the
probability of getting a total more than 7.
Sol. Here, n (S) = (6 6) = 36.
Let E = Event of getting a total more than 7
= {(2, 6), (3, 5) (3, 6), (4, 4), (4, 5), (4, 6),
(5, 3), (5, 4), (5, 5), (5, 6), (6, 2), (6, 3),
(6, 4), (6, 5) (6, 6)}.
P(E) =
) S ( n
) E ( n
=
36
15
=
12
5
.
Ex.5 Two dice are thrown together. What is the
probability that the sum of the numbers on the
two faces is divisible by 4 or 6 ?
Sol. Clearly, n (S) = 6 6 = 36.
Let E be the event that the sum of the numbers
on the two faces is divisible by 4 or 6. Then
E = {(1, 3), (1, 5), (2, 2), (2, 4), (2, 6), (3, 1), (3, 3),
(3, 5), (4, 2), (4, 4), (5, 1), (5, 3), (6, 2), (6, 6)}
n (E) = 14.
Hence, P (E) = |
.
|

\
|
36
14
=
18
7
.
manishkumarphysics.in
Q.1 In a simultaneous throw of two coins, the
probability of getting at least one head is:
(A)
2
1
(B)
3
1
(C)
3
2
(D)
4
3
Q.2 Three unbiased coins are tossed. What is the
probability of getting at least 2 heads?
(A)
4
1
(B)
2
1
(C)
3
1
(D)
8
1
Q.3 Three unbiased coins are tossed. What is the
probability of getting at most two heads?
(A)
4
3
(B)
4
1
(C)
8
3
(D)
8
7
Q.4 In a single throw of a die, what is the probability
of getting a number greater than 4 ?
(A)
2
1
(B)
3
1
(C)
3
2
(D)
4
1
Q.5 In a simultaneous throw of two dice, what is the
probability of getting a total of 7 ?
(A)
6
1
(B)
4
1
(C)
3
2
(D)
4
3
Q.6 What is the probability of getting a sum 9 from
two throws of a dice?
(A)
6
1
(B)
8
1
(C)
9
1
(D)
12
1
Q.7 In a simultaneous throw of two dice, what is the
probability of getting a doublet?
(A)
6
1
(B)
4
1
(C)
3
2
(D)
7
3
Q.8 In a simultaneous throw of two dice, what is the
probability of getting a total of 10 or 11?
(A)
4
1
(B)
6
1
(C)
12
7
(D)
36
5
Q.9 Two dice are thrown simultaneously. What is the
probability of getting two numbers whose
product is even ?
(A)
2
1
(B)
4
3
(C)
8
3
(D)
16
5
Q.10 Tickets numbered 1 to 20 are mixed up and then
a ticket is drawn at random. What is the
probability that the ticket drawn bears a number
which is a multiple of 3 ?
(A)
10
3
(B)
20
3
(C)
5
2
(D)
2
1
Q.11 Tickets numbered 1 to 20 are mixed up and then
a ticket is drawn at random. What is the
probability that the ticket drawn has a number
which is a multiple of 3 or 5 ?
(A)
2
1
(B)
5
2
(C)
15
8
(D)
20
9
Q.12 In a lottery, there are 10 prizes and 25 blanks. A
lottery is drawn at random. What is the
probability of getting a prize ?
(A)
10
1
(B)
5
2
(C)
7
2
(D)
7
5
Q.13 One card is drawn at random from a pack of 52
cards. What is the probability that the card drawn
is a face card ?
(A)
13
1
(B)
13
4
(C)
4
1
(D)
52
9
Q.14 A card is from a pack of 52 cards. The probability
of getting a queen of club or a king of heart is:
(A)
13
1
(B)
13
2
(C)
26
1
(D)
52
1
Q.15 One card is drawn from a pack of 52 cards. What
is the probability that the card drawn is either a
red card or king ?
(A)
2
1
(B)
13
6
(C)
13
7
(D)
52
27
Q.16 From a pack of 52 cards, one card is drawn at
random. What is the probability that the card
drawn is a ten or a spade ?
(A)
13
4
(B)
4
1
(C)
13
1
(D)
26
1
Q.17 The probability that a card drawn from a pack of
52 cards will be a diamond or a king, is :
(A)
13
2
(B)
13
4
(C)
13
1
(D)
52
1
Q.18 A bag contains 6 black and 8 white balls. One
ball is drawn at random. What is the probability
that the ball drawn is white ?
(A)
4
3
(B)
7
4
(C)
8
1
(D)
7
3
Q.19 In a box, there are 8 red, 7 blue and 6 green balls.
One ball is picked up randomly. What is the
probability that it is neither blue nor green?
(A)
3
2
(B)
4
3
(C)
19
7
(D)
21
8
Q.20 Two dice are tossed. The probability that the
total score is a prime number is :
(A)
6
1
(B)
12
5
(C)
2
1
(D)
9
7
EXERCISE
manishkumarphysics.in
Hints & Solution
Sol. 1 Here S = {HH, HT, TH, TT}.
Let E = event of getting at least one head
= {HT, TH, HH}.
P(E) =
) S ( n
) E ( n
=
4
3
Sol. 2 Here S = {TTT, TTH, THT, HTT, THH, HTH,
HHT, HHH}.
Let E = event of getting at least two heads
= {THH, HTH, HHT, HHH}.
P(E) =
( )
( ) S n
E n
=
2
1
8
4
=
.
Sol. 3 Here S = {TTT, TTH, THT, HTT, THH, HTH,
HHT, HHH}.
Let E = event of getting at most two heads.
Then, E = {TTT, TTH, THT, HTT, THH, HTH,
HHT}.
P(E) =
( )
( ) S n
E n
=
8
7
.
Sol. 4 When a die is thrown, we have
S = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6}.
Let E = event of getting a number
greater than 4 = {5, 6}.
P(E) =
( )
( ) S n
E n
=
3
1
6
2
=
.
Sol. 5 We know that in a simultaneous throw of two
dice, n(S) = 6 6 =36.
Let E = event of getting a total of 7 = {(1, 6),
(2, 5), (3, 4), (4, 3), (5, 2), (6, 1)}.
P(E) =
( )
( ) S n
E n
=
6
1
36
6
=
.
Sol. 6 In two throws of a die, n(S) = (6 6) = 36.
Let E = event of getting a sum 9 = {(3, 6), (4, 5),
(5, 4), (6, 3)}.
P(E) =
( )
( ) S n
E n
=
9
1
36
4
=
.
Sol. 7 In a simultaneous throw of two dice,
n(S) = (6 6) = 36.
Let E = event of getting a doublet = {(1, 1),
(2, 2), (3, 3),(4, 4), (5, 5), (6, 6)}
P(E) =
( )
( ) S n
E n
=
6
1
36
6
=
.
Sol. 8 In a simultaneous throw of two dice, we have
n (S) = (6 6) = 36.
Let E = event of getting a total of 10 or 11
= {(4, 6), (5, 5), (6, 4),(5, 6), (6, 5)}
P(E) =
( )
( ) S n
E n
=
36
5
.
Sol. 9 In a simultaneous throw of two dice, we have
n (S) = (6 6) = 36.
Let E = event of getting two numbers whose
product is even.
Then, E = {(1, 2), (1, 4), (1, 6), (2, 1), (2, 2), (2, 3),
(2, 4), (2, 5), (2, 6), (3, 2), (3, 4), (3, 6),
(4, 1), (4, 2), (4, 3), (4, 4), (4, 5), (4, 6),
(5, 2), (5, 4), (5, 6), (6, 1), (6, 2), (6, 3),
(6, 4), (6, 5), (6, 6)}.
n (E) = 27.
P (E) =
( )
( ) S n
E n
=
4
3
36
27
= .
Sol.10 Here, S= {1, 2, 3, 4, ................, 19, 20}.
Let E = event of getting a multiple of
3 = {3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18}.
P (E) =
( )
( ) S n
E n
=
10
3
20
6
=
.
Sol.11 Here, S= {1, 2, 3, 4, ..............., 19, 20}.
Let E = event of getting multiple of
3 or 5 = {3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 5, 10, 20}.
P (E) =
( )
( ) S n
E n
=
20
9
.
Sol.12 P (getting a prize) =
( ) 7
2
35
10
25 10
10
= =
+
.
ANSWER KEY
Q.No 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Ans. D B D B A C A D B A D C B C C A B B D B
manishkumarphysics.in
Sol.13 Clearly, there are 52 cards, out of which there are
16 face cards.
P (getting a face card) =
52
16
=
13
4
.
Sol.14 Here, n(S) = 52.
Let E = event of getting a queen of club or a
king or heart.
Then, n(E) = 2.
P(E) =
( )
( ) 26
1
52
2
S n
E n
= =
.
Sol.15 Here, n(S) = 52.
There are 26 red cards (including 2 kings) and
there are 2 more kings.
Let E = event of getting a red card or a king
Then, n(E) = 28.
P(E) =
( )
( ) 13
7
52
28
S n
E n
= =
.
Sol.16 Here, n (S) = 52.
There are 13 spades (including one ten) and there
are 3 more tens.
Let E = event of getting a ten or a spade
Then, n(E) = (13 + 3) = 16.
P(E) =
( )
( ) 13
4
52
16
S n
E n
= =
.
Sol.17 Here, n (S) = 52.
There are 13 cards of diamond (includng one
king) and there are 3 more kings.
Let E = event of getting a diamond or a king.
P(E) =
( )
( ) 13
4
52
16
S n
E n
= = .
Sol.18 Total number of balls = (6 + 8) = 14
Number of white balls = 8.
P (drawing a white ball) =
7
4
14
8
= .
Sol.19 Total number of balls = (8 + 7 + 6) = 21.
Let E = event that the ball drawn is neither red
nor green.
= event that the ball drawn is red.
n (E) = 8
P (E) =
21
8
.
Sol.20 Clearly, n (S) = (6 6) = 36.
Let E = Event that the sum is a prime number.
Then, E = {(1, 1), (1, 2), (1, 4), (1, 6), (2, 1), (2, 3),
(2, 5), (3, 2), (3, 4), (4, 1), (4, 3), (5, 2),
(5, 6), (6, 1), (6, 5)}
n (E) = 15
P (E) =
( )
( ) 12
5
36
15
S n
E n
= =
.